


Leaving it all behind

by EvelynRiley



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Best Friends, Jeronica friendship, mentions of barchie, single dad jughead
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23629036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvelynRiley/pseuds/EvelynRiley
Summary: Betty and Archie start seeing each other behind their SO back in high school. The fallout is big for the core four and the friendships are left in pieces. Six years later Betty and Jughead see each other. She wants to make amends and he wants to let go but how do you become friends with someone you were in love with or maybe still in love with.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Jughead Jones & Veronica Lodge
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Leaving it all behind

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, this is in response to all the leaks for this weeks episode.

Mia was running around the house. The two year old incredibly active so much so it had worn jughead out. Lucky for him Veronica had a lot more control of the situation. Looking at it now he can believe how close they had gotten. She had really been his rock through everything, someone who he could rely on. He had really found someone who made him feel worthy even if it was in a platonic way. They joked and talked about the deep stuff. Stuff he had been holding onto the last few years.

They never spoke about Betty or Archie. Veronica brought him up once when she said he had called her. After that it was like a silent agreement to never talk about them again. He wondered if they were still together now, if someone had made her truly feel happy.

"So I have another date tonight with that guy I was telling you about"

Jughead knew where this was going. Lately she had been obsessed with finding the perfect partner for him continually trying to set him up on double dates. Jughead was sure with the way she was being mysterious about this guys name that it was someone he knows. Both of his relationships ended badly and there was no way he was putting his heart on the line. Who even wants to be with a single dad anyway.

"I told you Ronnie I'm quite happy, I don't need anyone"

She knew not to push, he often closed out anything that involved romance. One thing she was proud of was the way he had definitely expanded his friends. After everything went down he was quite surprised that sided with him. So much so his daughter called Reggie uncle. Yes jughead jones was friends with Reggie Mantle.

Mia has now been so overtired she was throwing stuff everywhere. Not wanting to upset her he put her on the best next to Veronica. His eyes flickered from his sleeping daughter and friend next to him out the window. He knew that car from anywhere. Even six years on he felt like someone had stabbed him in the chest. The girl with the blonde ponytail, his Juliet. He had just hoped a person wasn't going to come out of the passenger door. She had left for college only weeks after everything blew up and he hadn't heard from her since. Jughead stayed with Alice and Fp for the last few years and had never crossed paths with her as the pair had made it clear whose side they were on. She hadn't come back once. much like his ginger friend who lived next door she didn't know the truth, she didn't even know the half of it.

When the door bell rang he knew this was it. Neither Alice or Fp we're home so he had do go down there. Having to face her was something he hoped he would never have to do again. He had loved her, if he was being honest he still did but it had taken a week and a few make out sessions with his then best friend for her to drop him. Opening the door he came face to face with the person he never thought he'd see again. It was obvious by the look on her face she didn't know he lived there.

They were sitting in their bedroom the last time they were together. She had thrown herself into her homework at least that's what he thought was happening for the week.

"Betts, come on we need to go to bed"

She flinched just like she had for days, he knew something was up. She looked at him and he could see the tears in her eyes"

"Baby what's wrong?"

When she had finally come clean it was like his whole world stopped. He really didn't know what to say or do.

"It just happened Jug, we kissed"

"Just the one time?”

He could tell by the guilt over her face it wasn't just a one time thing.

"Unbelievable, did you sleep with him?

He really didn't need to wait for the answer. This time he grabbed his bag and filled it. Betty has gripped onto his arm hoping to stop him. She didn't want him to leave.

"I knew this whole thing was a lie. I knew the minute Archie felt the same way you would leave me. I gave you the opportunity to be honest with me the other week and all you did was sprout out lies. I'm done Betty, when you see me at school don't talk to me. You can pass that on to your new boyfriend too"

He didn't let her get another word in, she didn't deserve it.

He told Veronica that same night and it was one of his biggest regrets. He had to see her face fall and pick up the pieces. That should have been Archie, he should have given her the opportunity to get closure.

"Hi Betty, Dad and Alice aren't home" he tried to sound polite, he really did.

"Oh uh, do you mind if I come in" Her voice was quiet but it's something he had missed.

He just opened the door further. Jughead went and got her water as Betty looked around the house. Not much had changed. Alice however had finally let FP out some of his stuff around the house.

The front door went and the laugher from the pair stopped in their tracks when they saw Betty at the table and jug in the kitchen. FP and Alice were just as clueless about the visit that was one thing that was obvious. Alice sent her a message every year for her birthday and always sent an invited for the holidays which Betty had always rejected. It was obvious why. One of the only things left on Jughead's social media was the fact he moved back to riverdale two years prior.

There really wasn't anything else that could make this reunion awkward. Well that's what jughead thought until his best friend walked down the stairs with Mia.

"Come on baby, we will go see daddy" rubbing the crying toddlers face.

The whole room came to a stand still. Veronica looking at Betty then switching her attention to Jughead. Betty on the other hand couldn't take her attention off the toddler in front of her. With an argument certain to go down Veronica decided to take Mia with her.

" I think we should go visit Uncle Reggie" closing the front door behind her hoping that everything wasn't about to blow up.

******

It didn't take him long to follow right behind. Betty was confused by all that had just happened. Did her ex boyfriend have a baby with her old best friend, did she even have a right to be mad after what she did.

This had all just been like a terrible dream for her. Peering out the window seeing him put his arm around Veronica. It made her stomach churn, her eyes watered not long after. This was the life she visioned. By now she would have a ring on her finger and would be carrying her child in her arms, his child.

FP made his way over to Betty to put an arm around her. He knew what Betty did was wrong and he knew how much it had cut his son up about the cheating. One thing he knew about Betty though that no matter what happened she loved Jughead, he always thought she would come back for him.

"Sweetheart, you are just going to need to give him some time"

She felt warm, Betty had always looked at Fp as her second father. Especially after what had happened to her biological father. "Are he and Veronica like together?"

He really wanted to tell her. Explain this whole nightmare of the last few years for Jughead. How he had been forced to raise a child alone, how he flunked out at college and how he still hadn't been able to move on from her.

"Look that's something you need to talk to him about. Betty you should have come home earlier, he really missed you"

"I did come back. Twice and he looked quite happy without me"

The first time she went to approach Jughead was three weeks after he found out. She knew he had been staying with Sweet pea. The kiss and everything that followed had been the biggest mistake of her life. Walking through the trailer park she had hope, she really thought she would be able to talk him into giving her a second chance or at least clear the air.

Her breathing was all over the place. Her anxiety was high when she turned to see jughead drinking beer around a fire with sweet pea. Betty hadn't been able to take her eyes off his hands. Jug had taken his beanie off, the one she had given him only weeks before and threw it in the fire. No hesitation at all. She tried to hold in her gasps. Betty stood there crying her eyes out. This was all her fault and there was a damn thing she could do about it. Sweet pea pulled him away. It was clear that Jughead was drunk and it killed her that it was probably her that made him turn to the alcohol.

Come Monday when they went back to school, she saw Jughead walk through the halls with all the other serpents. It was the first time in weeks she had seen him smile and she couldn't bring herself to ruin his mood.

The second time was so much worse. When she had messaged her mom about coming into town she had subtly asked about Jughead. If he had been in town, Alice had passed on the information that she had wanted. Jughead had come back into town.

When she arrived in town all she wanted was a drink from pops, Betty had been craving one since she had left that morning. In the last two years she had been focusing on school and completely left the dating scene. She wanted Jughead and no one else. Looking up when getting out of the car she saw him. With another woman. They definitely weren't just friends.

Everything in Betty's body said to run, so she did. She messaged her mother told her something had come up and that her planned visit was now off. Maybe she should have come back earlier, maybe he could have forgiven her for what she had done. Maybe just maybe their love could have recovered but now she really didn't know.

Coming back to reality she cried. She cried a lot. If she was being completely honest with herself she still didn't know why she had come back to riverdale. Part of her wanted him to be single and ready to move on. The other part of her wanted to see him happy. FP held her before suggesting she go and put her stuff in the spare bedroom.

Walking up the stairs she couldn't help but peer into her room, into their old room. It was as pink as it had alway been, crib in the corner. The whole place was girly no doubt her mother had something to do with it. Her mirror was up in the opposite corner and the desk was still over the side. His typewriter was exactly where she had left it when Betty had left for college.

Running her finger over the surface and staring out the window she came face to face with what was connected to the biggest mistake of her life. Archie Andrews bedroom. She knew he had moved and that there wasn't a chance of bumping into him. Playing in the room across from her were three kids. Just like it had been when she was younger. Little Archie, Little Betty and little Jughead. Everything in her wanted to go back to that time, back to a time where it was simpler.

The door moved open more as she turned around she came face to face with him again. The look on his face was cold as ever.

"He doesn't live there anymore if that's who your looking for. If want your bedroom back I will move Mia in with me"

He really thought she was back for Archie. It killed her that her actions years earlier had made him think this way.

"Uh no, it's her room now. I'm just going to go" She brushed past him looking at the child in his arms. "For the record I already know and I don't want to see him ever again"

Sitting on Polly's old bed brought more tears to her eyes, had it really been a good idea to come back to riverdale.

******

He ran. It was the only thing he could do. He knew he was being a coward but Jughead wasn't ready to face his past yet. He wasn't ready to stand in front of the only girl he had loved and listen to yet another apology. Jughead had forgiven her a long time ago. It was so much easier than holding onto the past but now that she was here it was a different story.

Jughead quickly caught up to veronica, slinging his arm around her like normal. Except everything wasn't normal because she was here. Mia was babbling away not content in her aunts arms.

"Jug, did you know she was coming back?" There was hurt in her voice and he knew that ultimately Veronica would probably be the first one to forgive her to her face. She wanted nothing more than her epic B & V friendship back.

"No. By the look of Dad and Alice I'd say they didn't know either"

Maybe you should hear her out. Jug we all know how confused she was. At least she had the guts to come clean unlike the other party"

He'd thought about it a lot. What if she comes back? What do I say to her? Would she actually want some kind of relationship with him.

"Look I don't even know why she's here or how long she will be here for. I'll sort it out later"

The car ride over to Reggie's was quiet. Other than Mia in the backseat of course. Babbling along not noticing the tension in the car. Veronica even after everything had always pushed him to contact Betty, claiming it was true love and she made a horrible decision. He had always wanted to believe it. He couldn't handle the idea of the only woman he has ever been in love with had been in love with his best friend the entire relationship.

Arriving at Reggie's he could tell immediately something was off with the two of them. They had been so tight the last 5 years their arguments only ever lasted a few hours at the most. He took Mia, she was thrilled. It still blew his mind that not only was he friends with Reggie Mantle but Reggie was so good with his daughter.

"Alright you two what's going on" Reggie looked between the two of them.

"She who shall not be named returned and Jug's got his panties in a bunch" Jughead screwed up his nose. He knew where this was going. The argument was just beginning.

"She has a name Veronica, I honestly don't know how you can be so calm about it all she hurt you too"

"Woah, you okay V?" Reggie moved in closer placing his arm around her. It was something different, something that didn't happen often between the two of them. There was some kind of intimacy there and jughead made sure they knew he had seen it.

"Oh I'm okay too Reggie, thanks for asking"rolling his eyes. "Look I'm just going to go home, I'll leave you two to whatever this is"

They had no objections to that. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before now. It wasn't that he was jealous he just didn't understand why they wouldn't tell him about it.

Walking up the stairs at home he peered into Mia's room to see Betty looking at the window across the lawn. Of course, he thought. She couldn't have come back for him when all she seemed to think about was the boy next door. She was watching the kids play.

"He doesn't live there anymore if that's who your looking for. If want your bedroom back I will move Mia in with me" He really tried to play it off cool. Jughead didn't want her to realise how much it was still affecting him now.

Her face dropped. Did she actually come back for Archie? 

Uh no, it's her room now. I'm just going to go" She brushed past him looking at the child in his arms. "For the record I already know and I don't want to see him ever again"

She left him standing there. What did she mean she didn't want to see him? Maybe everything wasn't as clear cut as he thought it was.


End file.
